Straight lift pumping apparatus



April 4, 1939. G. T. HUMPHREY 2,152,762

STRAIGHT LIFT PUMPING APPARATUS Filed April 26, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l A ril 4, 1939. e. T. HUMPHREY STRAIGHT LIFT PUMPING APPARATUS Filed April 26, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTQR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 4, 1939 UNITED STATES I 2,l52,l62

PATENT OFFHCE 10 Claims.

units for actuating the pump rod assembly in a well.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a pumping unit whereby a straight lift on the rod assembly is effected, thereby greatly reducing wear on the stuffing box packing, as well as minimizing the likelihood of breakage of the latter, since lateral stresses are not imposed on the polished rod as is the case when conventional equipment is used.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pumping unit so arranged that the walking beam thereof may be readily moved to a position such that no portion of the beam is directly over the casing head, thereby greatly facilitating the servicing of the well.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pumping unit wherein the conventional Samson post is replaced by a tripod frame, the latter being comprised of a hinged and articulated support and a pair of hinged and interconnected supports.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a pumping mechanism having a straight lift and which may be actuated from a point remote from the well.

With the foregoing objects as paramount, the invention has particular reference to its salient features of construction and arrangement of parts, which will become manifest as the description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevation of the pumping unit.

Figure 2 is a front elevational View.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the support for the articulated frame member.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the bearing arrangement for the tripod members.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a base member, showing the slots therein for adjustment of the beam supports.

Figure 6 is an elevational view with portions broken away and showing the position of the beam and its supports at the upper end of the stroke.

Figure 7 is a front view in vertical section of the suspension bearing, showing its adaptation as a beam supporting means.

Figure 8 is a side elevation of Figure '7, shown partly in section.

Figure 9 is a perspective View of a fragment of the walking beam, and showing the attachment of the bearing thereto, and

Figure 10 is a side elevation of a modified form of the invention, showing its adaptation as a pump jack.

Referring primarily to Figures land 2, l denotes the base members of the pumping unit which are preferably comprised of I beams spaced apart by a series of cross members 2. The base members I are slotted at l to allow for adjustment of the bearings 3. These bearings receive the ends of a shaft 4 to which a pair of beam supports 5 are rigidly attached. The supports 5 are thus seen to be free to rock, and the shaft 4, to which they are attached, is free to oscillate within the bearings 3. A pair of plates 6, formed as shown in Figure 2, are welded or otherwise secured to the uprights 5.

A lower journal member 1 is welded to the upper end of each of the supports 5, and a companion upper journal member 8 is bolted to each of the lower members l. between the journal members 1 and 8.

A walking beam l 0 has a pair of bearing blocks ll, bolted thereto as shown in Figure 9. These blocks enclose a bushing l2 which surrounds the shaft 9. free to rock on the shaft 9, which latter is rigid with respect to the uprights 5.

A shaft support I3 is secured to the forward end of each of the members I. These supports serve to position a shaft I5, which shaft is held in place by set screws l5. shown in Figure 3, is comprised of a base ll, integral arms l8 and a depending portion Ill. The base I! of the member [6 serves to enclose the portion of the shaft I4 which is intermediate the fh supports I3, and the depending portion i9 is normally bolted to the cross members 2 by bolts 28.

A shaft 2| is secured in the arms l8 by set screws 22. The forward ends of the arms l8 are each provided with a lug 23, over which a section of pipe can be placed preparatory to swinging the walking beam to a position such that the well may be serviced.

The forward or articulated portion of the tripod support is comprised primarily of a link 24 and a pair of angular members 25, which latter are positioned on either side of the beam 24 and are rigidly secured to the walking beam Ill. The lower end of the link 26 is provided with a bearing 26, shown in Figure 2, and the upper end of the A shaft 9 is rigidly mounted The walking beam 9 is thus seen to be a,

A support It, best The pumping unit is actuated by a suitable source of power, not shown, which is attached tothe reduction unit 29, through which the arm 30 is rotated. This arm is weighted by weights 3|, and is connected to the beam It] by the pitman arm 32.

A member 32 is formed as shown in Figure '7, and is welded to the upper end of the arm 32. The upper part of the member 32 is secured to a block 33, which is affixed to a roller 34. This roller rests in a bearing 35 which has a concave recess and is surrounded by a box 36, the roller 34 being retained in position by a shaft 31. The box 36 is secured to the walking beam H], and it will thus be seen that as the beam I is rocked, the roller 34 oscillates in its recess in the bearing 35. The assembly is protected against ingress of moisture and dust by a hood or cover 38 which is secured to the member 32 The pump rod assembly is attached to the depending members 39 which surround a member 40, comparable to the conventional horsehead. The members 33 are preferably suspended by means of a suspension bearing similar to the one above described, and illustrated in Figures 7 and 8, the assembly being protected by a hood 4|.

The position of the beam All and its Sup orting structure at the midpoint of the stroke is illustrated in Figure 1. Inthis position the supporting beams 5 are in. a vertical position and the articulate leg, comprised of the link 24 and the angular members 25, is in the position shown. When, however, the beam I9 is rocked to the position illustrated in Figure 6, the supporting members 5 are constrainedto move to the position shown, that is with their upper ends moved arcuately forward toward the well. Since the beam It is hinged to the upper ends of the members 5, it is moved forward as it is rocked,.thereby maintaining the members 39 directly over the well and effecting a straight lift on the pump rods. During this movement, the forward or articulated member is also displaced, since the shaft 28 is constrained to move in an arc with the length of the link Has a radius. The beam if! is also displaced forwardly when it is rocked to the bottom of the stroke,-thereby constraining the pump rod assembly to move in a perpendicular path throughout the stroke.

When it is desired to service the well, and hence becomes necessary to move the beam to a position where it will not interfere with the servicing operation, the unit is first disconnected from the pump. rods and the bolts are then removed. Sections of pipe are then placed overthe lugs 23 and the support 56 is swung backward from the well around the shaft M. This movement causes the beam it to move to a position whereit will not interfere with the servicing operation. If desired, the arm 38 may be disconnected from the gear box tofacilitate the movement of the beam H! and its supporting-members.

The slots l in the beams provide a means for shifting the base ofthe uprights 5. Thus, for example, should-it be found-desirable to impose a greater part of the load on the articulate member than is present whenthebeam id is horizontal and the members 5 are vertical, the bearings 3 may be shifted rearwardly along the beam in the slots l Figure 10 illustrates a'modification of the invention with the principle applied to a pump jack. A pair of base members 42 each carry a bearing block ,43 between which, blocks ,a shaft 44 is positioned. ,This. shaft-is :free:. -to. rockin. the

bearings 43 and has a pair of upright beams 45 attached thereto. A shaft 46 is carried by the upper ends of the beams 45, on which shaft the walking beam 46 is hingedly mounted. The forward end of the walking beam 46 is provided with the member 4'! from which the depending members 48 are suspended. The forward ends of the beams 42 carry the shaft supports 49 between which a shaft 50 is secured. A support 5| is mounted on theshaft 58 and normally bolted to cross members between the base beams 42. The structure just described is identical to that of the corresponding structure of the pumping unit principally illustrated by Figures 1, 2 and 6. It will be noted'however that the upright members 45 are not provided with cross bracing, such as the plates 6 between the uprights 5.

In the pump jack illustrated in Figure 10, the supporting structure is replaced by the structure shown, which is comprised of a pair of V shaped members 52, rigidly attached to the beam .46 and provided with-the braces 53, and the beam 54 whichis arranged in a manner similar to the beam 24 of the pumping unit. The beamv 54 is positioned between a shaft 55,, carried between the braces 53, and a shaft 56 carried by the supporting member 5|. A pair of beams and 57 are positioned on opposite sides of the beam 54 and are hingedly mounted on a shaft 58which latter is rigidly mounted between the V members 5 2. The membersfit and 57 extend to a point past the well, where they are interconnected and attached to a conventional pull ,rod. Since the shafts 44, 46, ,55, and 56 are arranged. in a manner identical with that of'the shafts 4, 9, 28, .and

2| of the pumping unit first described, it will. be seen that the beam 46 isconstrained to'move in the same manner as the walking beam I0, that is with its members 48 at all times in a perpendicular path. I

Manifestly, the construction as shown and described is capable of some modificationand such modification as may be, construed within the scope and meaning of the appended claims is also considered to be within thejspirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A straight lift well pump including a base and a walking beam, a pair of supports hinged to said base and to said walking beam, and an articulated leg, said leg comprising a structure rigid with respectto said walking beam and depending therefrom, and a'link hinged adjacent said base and likewise hinged to said depending structure.

. 2. A straight lift pumping unit including a base and a walking beam,-a tripod supporting structure interposed between said base and said walking beam, said tripod comp-rising a pair of supports hinged to said base and to said walkingbeam and an articulated leg, said leg including and a walking beam, a pair of supports hinged to.

said base and to said walking beam, and an ar ticulated leg, said leg comprising a structure rigid with respect to said walking beam and depending therefrom, a link hinged to adjacent said base and likewise hinged to said depending structure, and means whereby said walking beam may be inoperatively displaced relative to the well.

5. A straight lift pumping unit including a base and a walking beam, a tripod supporting structure interposed between said base and said walking beam, said tripod comprising a pair of supports hinged to said base and to said Walking beam and an articulated leg, said leg including a pair of V shaped members rigidly attached to said walking beam, and a link hinged to said V shaped members and likewise hinged adjacent said base, a pitman for actuating said walking beam, and means connected to said articulated leg whereby said walking beam may be inoperatively displaced relative to said base.

6. In a well pumping apparatus a base and a walking beam, a supporting tripod for said walking beam including a pair of interconnected supports hinged to said base and to said walking beam and an articulated leg, said leg comprising a member rigid with said walking beam and a link hinged to said base and to said latter member at a point below said walking beam.

7. A straight lift pumping apparatus for wells including a base and a walking beam, a tripod supporting said beam on said base, two of the legs of said tripod having hinged connections with said walking beam and said base and the third leg of said tripod comprising a link hinged to said base and likewise hinged at its upper end to a structure rigid with said walking beam, and means whereby the base of said articulated leg may be shifted in position to move said walking beam to an inoperative position relative to the Well.

8. A straight lift pumping unit including a walking beam and a base, a supporting member for said walking beam pivoted at its ends to said base and walking beam, a pair of relatively angular members connected to said walking beam, a link pivotally joining said members to said base whereby the pivotal points thereof will be substantially aligned with the upper pivotal point of said supporting member when said walking beam is horizontal.

9. A straight lift pumping unit including a walking beam and a base, a supporting member for said walking beam pivoted at its ends to said base and walking beam, means connected to said walking beam and having a link joining the same pivotally to said basewhereby the pivotal pointsthereof will be substantially aligned with the upper pivotal point of said supporting member when said walking beam is horizontal and means for displacing the lower pivotal point of said link.

10. A pumping apparatus including a walking beam and a base, a supporting member pivoted at either end to said base and walking beam, a member rigidly connected to said walking beam and depending therefrom and affording a connection for a pull rod at its lower extremity, and means providing a pivotal connection between said base and an intermediate point between the upper and lower extremities of said rigid member.

GEORGE 'I'. HUMPI-IREY. 

